Discovery
by Writer's Melody
Summary: A series of events will change the lives of Autumn and her daughter Winter forever. Please review.
1. Chapter 1

Autumn quietly unlocked the door to her apartment and sighed. It had been such a busy night! It had been worth it, though. She had made good money. The neighbor girl who had been watching Winter closed her book and got up from the couch. Hurriedly Autumn pulled her coat tighter around her as she pulled a twenty-dollar bill out of her pocket. "Thank you," she said.

The girl took the money and left without a word, causing the young woman to sigh. Apparently someone disapproved of either the amount of money she had been given or how it had been earned. Well, she didn't have many options. At the age of 18 with a five-year old daughter trying to pay tuition for her online courses, how else was she supposed to earn money?

She undid her shoes and tossed them aside. They looked nice but they really hurt her feet! It felt so good to finally get them off. Taking off her uniform would feel even better. The "message waiting" light on the phone was blinking. Apparently Audrey had taken her instructions to just let the phone ring very seriously.

Curious, she walked towards the phone and pressed the button as she turned on the tap water and poured herself a glass of water. The message began playing. "Hello, Autumn Fitzroy? This is Dr. Suresh…" Immediately she turned it off. She knew that voice very well by now. The first time Mohinder had called she had listened but what he was suggesting was absolutely crazy.

Much as she longed to be different, that was dangerous. That had been the only message. Before she could take a drink, there was a knock at the door. Autumn frowned. Who could that be at this hour of the night? She peeked through the hall. A sort of tall, dark-haired man with a couple day's worth of growth on his not unattractive face stood there holding a pizza box. She didn't see a uniform but no doubt his coat, which was zipped up covered it.

It was a chilly night. Shivering, she opened the door. "Hello, ma'am," he said, smiling. "I have your large Hawaiian pizza here. Sorry it took us so long." He shifted his weight from one foot to the other.

"I am sorry, you must have the wrong address," she said. "I didn't order a pizza." The young man frowned.

"This _is _Apartment 1812 at 2003 Vine Street, isn't it?"

"I'm afraid not," she said. "This is _Pine_ Street." The man clucked his tongue and lowered his head, apparently embarrassed.

"I am SO sorry to disturb you!"

"Well, I wasn't asleep. Um, Vine Street is about ten blocks… in the other direction."

"Oh, my goodness! I can't believe… I'm new at this job and to the area you see," he explained. "Would you mind if I came in and used the phone to call my boss and the person I'm supposed to deliver this to? I left my cell phone in the car."

"Not a problem," she said, stepping aside to let him in.

"Thank you so much! Nice place, by the way. Like what you've done with it," he said as he glanced around. Autumn shrugged. There were no leaks or infestations, the walls were thick enough, and her landlord was very good about taking care of any problems.

"The phone is on that little table there by the window. Why don't you set the pizza right there by it? Let me get you a glass of water," she said.

"That'd be nice," he said, smiling. Nodding, she disappeared into the kitchen. She heard him pick up the phone and dial. Autumn grabbed another glass out of the cupboard and turned on the tap, grabbing hers before she headed back into the living area.

"No answer," he said.

"It happens," she said. Maybe his boss was busy with another driver or something. He shrugged. Autumn had almost reached him when she tripped over the shoe she had so carelessly kicked off. She didn't fall but water sloshed out of the glasses as she rather roughly bumped into the table. His pizza box fell.

"Oh, I'm so sorry!" she exclaimed.

"Let me get that," he said. But it was too late. She had already picked it up. Autumn slowly straightened up, her face draining of color. The pizza box was empty.


	2. Chapter 2

"Who are you?" she demanded. Her hand reached for the phone.

"Sylar," he said. His voice sounded much different. Before she could grab the phone, she felt herself being slammed back against the wall. She was unable to move any part of herself. Rolling her eyes downward, she could see that she was pinned to the wall somehow with her feet dangling a few feet above the ground.

How had he done that? The name Sylar didn't mean much to her; she didn't really read the news and she didn't have a TV or computer because she couldn't afford it. This… Sylar seemed rather shocked that she didn't recognize the name. "You don't know who I am? That doesn't matter anyway."

_Winter_. He mustn't know she was there. "What are you going to do to me?" she asked. How was he doing what he was doing? Maybe that Dr. Suresh wasn't crazy. Maybe that Dr. Suresh had led this Sylar to her. Well, there was no way if she could help it that he was going to get her daughter, too!

"I am going to kill you. Don't worry, it'll all be over soon," he murmured. He raised one hand and pointed a finger at her forehead. Then there was pain. Tears filled her eyes. She couldn't scream; that would wake Winter. It felt like her forehead was being sliced to the bone with a knife. Blood was running down her face and dripping to the floor.

He was moving his finger. He hadn't gotten more than a couple of inches- apparently he enjoyed dragging this out- when Winter emerged. Her heart sank. The girl looked sleepy; she had probably gotten up to go the bathroom or get a drink of water. She fell to the ground. Sylar looked stunned.

"Mommy?" the girl whispered. She saw the blood and glanced at Sylar. Then Winter did what Autumn had not; she screamed. Sylar cried out and covered his ears. He raised his hands but he could not longer do what he had done earlier. Stumbling, he moved towards the door, opened and fled.

She could hear astonished voices in the hallway as some of her neighbors came to investigate the scream. Blood was still trickling from the wound. Autumn's face was pale. "Mommy!" Winter screamed, bursting into sobs as she shook her. "Please get up…" The girl's nightgown was soaked in blood as she knelt by her mother.

One of the neighbors dialed 911. Winter laid her head on her mother, still sobbing. Autumn shivered, her eyes blank with shock. He had intended to kill her. Then he couldn't when her daughter emerged. Why not? It didn't matter; her daughter had indirectly saved her life.

The ambulance arrived with surprising promptness and she was loaded onto a gurney. "My daughter," she whispered. The EMTs looked at each other. One of them smiled down at the girl and offered his hand. The others helped steer the gurney.

"She's shivering," one of them remarked, her tone serious.

"Well, she's lost a lot of blood. That's a deep cut." That was the last thing she heard before everything went black. When she awoke, she was in a hospital room. Winter was nowhere to be seen. She tried to sit up but found that she couldn't.

"You've had a nasty shock," the doctor said. "What, with all that blood loss and whatever event caused that cut… We've cleaned and stitched you up. I am pretty sure that you'll be just fine, aside from a scar. Still, we'd like to keep you here overnight."

"My daughter," she whispered, "where is she? Can she stay in here with me?" The doctor frowned. "Your boyfriend came and picked her up." Autumn's eyes widened.

"I don't have a boyfriend," she said slowly. "What did he look like? Do you know?"

"He looks Indian. Name's Mohinder Suresh. Very attractive with an Indian accent? Do you know him?" The young woman sank back against the pillows.

"Yes," she said. That wasn't true; she had never seen Mohinder before in her life. "He's not my boyfriend but he is a friend of mine. He'll take good care of her." Suresh wouldn't let anything happen to Winter, she was sure. The call had been about her; well, both of them actually. But what if Sylar came to the hospital? He wouldn't… would he?


	3. Chapter 3

A police officer knocked at the door frame before entering her room. He gave her a kindly smile but it seemed more condescending. Autumn had expected this. Would he believe the truth? She got the feeling that he wouldn't. She hardly believed it herself! In the end, he walked away with a vague description of Sylar that could be applied to any of a dozen wanted criminals and the belief that she hadn't gotten a good look at him.

That wasn't true of course. Those eyes, that face… that smile… forever embedded in her memory. A shiver ran up her spine. Could he have followed her here? Sylar didn't show up. No one did. She sighed as she flipped through the channels. Nothing good was on. That (and the fact that it cost money) was why she didn't have a TV in her apartment. It was turned off and she glanced around. A shiver ran up her spine. There was no one in the hallway and the other bed was empty.

It didn't take her long to drift into a deep and thankfully dreamless sleep. The medicines dripping into her veins from the IV probably helped with that. She was awakened by the entrance of an older nurse, who smiled kindly at the patient.

"Good morning! Just need to make sure everything is in order before we can let you go." She could hardly wait to reclaim Winter and talk to Dr. Suresh. She got the feeling that he was the only person that could tell her about Sylar- why he could do what he did and why he had attacked her.

The nurse finished her poking and prodding and left. Once again, she was left on her own. Not for long though! The doctor arrived promptly. "Just be careful about wrinkling your forehead and you will need to sleep on your back," he admonished. Easy enough to do.

Fortunately her bangs were long enough to cover the stitches, which meant she wouldn't have to take any time off from her second job. Absently she wondered if they should have been cut but that didn't matter. What did was the fact that she was free to leave!

She checked out and paid the bill, wincing. It was pretty expensive but there was no way around it. There were other things to worry about, like how she was going to get home? Her car was parked in the garage beneath the apartment complex. Bus? Autumn frowned as she searched around in her pockets to make sure she had enough change to pay the fare.

It seemed like she did. If she remembered correctly, Route 50 would take her a few blocks away from her apartment complex. At least the weather was nice. There was an open seat on the bench. A youngish man reading _Crime and Punishment_ occupied the other end. There was an older lady with a suitcase and a garish hat standing by the sign, a group of teenage boys with beanies and baggy pants pulled low, a couple teenage girls talking with each other and glancing at the boys, a businesswoman on her cell-phone, and a dirty looking old man missing most of his teeth and a hunched back mumbling to himself.

She had to smile as she observed the mundane scene. Her taste of death had given her a new hunger for life. To have come so close and survived… Autumn was very grateful that she had managed to pull through. The scar she would have for the rest of her life would serve as a constant reminder that she was the one that got away.

Whether or not Sylar would come back and try to finish the job didn't bear thinking about, not at the moment. It was enough that was alive at all. Just as she was about to check her watch, the bus arrived. The greasy man she could only assume was a "bum" boarded and the young man who had been reading closed his book and got up.

"After you," he said courteously.

"Thank you," she replied. He smiled and she stepped onto the bus. The driver stared at her as she fished the coins out of her pocket. She was just a little short. "Uh-"

"Here," the man behind her said, handing her the exact amount she needed.

"Thank you!" she said. The man merely smiled.

With a sigh of relief, she paid the fare and was able to take her seat. She didn't see where the man who had been so kind sat down. Autumn stared out the window, shifting in her seat. This was why she avoided public transportation normally; the seats were uncomfortable, it smelled, and it took so long! It took far longer than she would have liked- although the bus was actually right on schedule- to reach her apartment.

Autumn made her way to her room without stopping to respond to any of the greetings and queries sent her way. There was a message on her phone from Dr. Suresh, like she had thought. How had he known?! He owed her an explanation. Several, actually. She spent barely five minutes in her room before heading down to the garage to get her car.

He had kindly left her an address and she knew exactly where his apartment complex was located. Not too far from hers, actually. Why was a scientist with the resources to track people down living near her part of town? Hmm… There was a parking lot just across the street from his building and she pulled into it. "Why is parking so expensive when less than a quarter of the spots are filled?" she muttered as she paid.

Well, she didn't plan on being there for very long. Double-checking the apartment number and address, she made her way into the building and up to Dr. Suresh's rooms. She knocked on the door and waited. It only took a few minutes for Mohinder to open the door.

His smile put her at ease. The handsome Indian gentleman stepped back and courteously motioned her inside. "Miss Fitzroy! It is so nice to finally meet you. Can I get you anything?" he asked.

"My daughter." Before either of them could do anything, her daughter emerged from what she could only assume and hoped was the bathroom.

"Mommy!" Autumn was just as delighted as Winter. She knelt and wrapped her arms around her daughter when she threw herself into her arms. Aside from looking tired and a little pale, Winter looked just fine. It seemed Mohinder had taken good care of her during her absence. For a moment the pair just sat there, reveling in each other's presence. Then Autumn rose, taking Winter by the hand.

"Thank you," she said sincerely. Mohinder smiled.

"It was nothing. I've been trying to get a hold of you for quite some time and I couldn't risk Sylar claiming Winter like I had." Autumn merely blinked. Her pain and fear must have clouded her mind.

"Yes. How do you know of him?" she asked.

"Ah, it's a long story that you don't want to hear. I am sure you have lots of questions."

"Yes, yes I do. For starters, how did you find me?"

"It wasn't just you I was looking for, it was Winter as well. You gave blood a few years ago…"

"I thought that wasn't allowed," she said, frowning. Winter was silent, listening with interest.

"That's not important. What matters is the fact that I found you. You listened to me, at least for a bit, the first time I found you. You never let me finish, though."

"I am sorry," she said softly. She wished she would have listened. If he had had a chance to really explain, it wouldn't have sounded so crazy. Getting a call from a stranger who informed her that she and her daughter might be one of several people with…extraordinary gifts had seemed too good to be true. It was just too convenient. In most respects, she was above average but she had wanted something more definite. When that chance was presented to her, she had balked, though.

Who wouldn't? It wasn't easy being different in anyway, let alone the one he suggested! All she wanted was to finish her schooling so she could give Winter the life she deserved and not have to worry about making the rent. Being… gifted could certainly put a damper in that plan! He seemed to understand that. His expression was one of sympathy.

Not listening to him the first time, when he might have warned her about Sylar, had nearly cost her and even worse, her daughter, their lives. He had taken care of Winter for her, even though he _was_ a stranger. Of course she would have reacted far differently had she not done some digging into Mohinder's background. Besides, she had always been a good judge of character and she didn't get the "vibe" from this gentleman that she had gotten from the pizza boy, aka Sylar.

"It's all right," he assured her. "Most people react exactly the way that you did. I can't blame them, really. Anyway, if you'll follow me, I believe you will be wanting certain things explained." Autumn nodded. Winter followed her into what served as a living area and they both took a seat on the couch. Mohinder stood behind the coffee table and picked up a book that had been laying on it before clearing his throat.

"Let me start from the beginning. My father wrote this book. He was murdered fairly recently. In this book he postulates that…"


	4. Chapter 4

Autumn was silent and unsmiling all the way home. Dr. Suresh's book was tucked under one arm. Winter was moody and restless, apparently affected by her mother's mood. She had learned a lot from Mohinder and not all of it had been pleasant. One of the most worrisome things was that she had no idea what she was capable of.

As for her daughter's gift, she had her suspicions. She glanced down at her daughter, who was watching the passing scenery with a somewhat petulant expression. Well, there was nothing she could do to make the time go by faster.

She was in no mood for games or stories and she didn't have her MP3 player with her. The young woman sighed. They were almost there. A moment later, the bus came to a screeching, shuddering halt at their stop. At last! 

Taking her daughter firmly in hand, she stepped off the bus and, still silent, escorted her back to their apartment. "Can I get you anything, darling?" she asked. Winter shook her head.

Feeling bad for her earlier reticence, she knelt in front of her daughter and brushed a strand of lose hair away from her face. "What do you want?" she asked softly. After her narrow escape and how she had acted during their reunion and bus ride home, she was prepared to give her beloved child just about anything.

"Let's play House!" the girl declared, brightening at the prospect of her favorite game. Winter grinned. It was always interesting reversing the roles.

"Okay."

They spent a happy hour and a half before the game ended and she prepared them a healthy meal of her daughter's favorite food- macaroni and cheese with hot dog. Winter felt much better after a good meal and having some fun. So did Autumn.

Her fears were hardly allayed though. When there was a knock at the door, she stiffened before peering out the peep hole. It was the baby-sitter. Her good mood evanesced at the thought of going to her night job. For her daughter… With luck, she would never have to do what she did.

Winter's shoulders slumped. The baby sitter was a nice girl but she wasn't Mommy. She let them greet each other as she headed into her bedroom and grabbed the bag containing her "work clothes."

"I'll be back later. Be good, okay? I love you!" Autumn planted a kiss on her daughter's forehead and leaned down farther for a tight, loving embrace that almost brought her good mood back.

With a last good-bye, she exited and closed the door behind her. She didn't pause to speak to any of her fellow tenants. Autumn just wasn't in the mood. Would Sylar come back while she was gone? With a feeling of foreboding, she started the car and headed to the club where she worked.


	5. Chapter 5

She parked in the employee zone. None of the cars were particularly fancy, not even the one she knew to be the owner's. Grabbing her bag and making sure there was nothing in the car, Autumn headed inside. Some of the regular patrons glanced her way and smiled; a few even whistled or cat-called. Her cheeks flushed. Even after all this time, it was hard to get used to.

The girl who went by the moniker "Candy" was fixing her make-up. She smiled at Autumn before heading out but neither of them spoke. It didn't take her too long to change and fix herself up. Staring at her reflection in the mirror, she was amazed at how different she looked.

No time to wonder at it for too long though. Autumn took a deep breath and emerged, casting sidelong glances at the patrons as she moved towards the bar. "Take this to the gentleman over there," the bartender said, jerking his head towards a man sitting alone at a table in the shadows not too far away.

Silently, she took the cup and headed towards the person who had ordered it. "Here it is!" she declared, trying to make her tone cheerful but not too grating. "Anything else I can do for you?" she asked. There was an expectant smile on her face. Her eyes widened when the man shifted to glance up at her. It was the man from the bus!

He seemed to recognize her too. Both of them blushed and their features were transformed by wry smiles at the vagaries of Fate. "I don't do this often," he said instantly. Autumn glanced around quickly, making sure that she could spare a moment or two, maybe several, to talk with him.

The young woman chuckled, letting the seductive mask she wore drop as she took a seat. He seemed relieved. She was too. It was much easier to simply be herself and not have to pretend to love the life she lived when she didn't.

"I've never seen you here before," she said, sliding into the seat across from him. Some of the regular patrons glanced askance at her. Very rarely would she favor someone with attention like that, even the better-paying (and better-looking) men.

"How long have you been working here?" he asked.

"A few months," she admitted.

"Forgive me, but you seem so young-" He paused abruptly and blushed once again.

"You really don't do this often do you?" she asked, pleased that he seemed interested in more than what lay underneath her clothes or what she would do and for how much. He shook his head. "And yes, I am, but a girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do. You understand?"

"Well, not really," he said. She couldn't help giggling at that. "But I get the gist of what you're saying." He leaned back and peered intently at her face, something she appreciated. Her outfit made it quite easy for his gaze to shift elsewhere and get an eyeful.

"You really don't like working here, do you?" he said. It was her turn to shake her head vehemently.

"And why did you come here?" she asked.

"Well, I just wanted to get a drink, you know, at the end of a long day, and I heard this place was good," he said.

"Is it?" she asked. He seemed to be relaxing more and more in her presence, even winking at her.

"I'd say so," he said.

"You haven't even tried the drink yet," she pointed out. The young man rectified that instantly, taking a sip. A moment later he set the glass down and gave a satisfied sight.

"Yep, definitely good. I am Aaron," he announced, extending a hand for her to shake. She accepted it and shook it warmly.

"My name is Autumn," she said. "It's a pleasure to meet you." And that wasn't something she'd said to a patron of the establishment… ever.

"The pleasure's all mine," he murmured. His gaze was still fixed on her face and it was her turn to blush. Aaron seemed amused by that, which rankled a little bit. Silence fell for a moment. Autumn couldn't think of a way to respond to that. Aaron tilted his head and narrowed his eyes slightly. None of the other patrons ever looked at her that way; it was as if he was trying to see straight through her. And who knew- maybe he could.

"I need to get back to work," she said apologetically. It was true, her boss was giving her a rather pointed look. Rising, she smiled. She rose and turned away but before she could take a step, Aaron placed a hand on her arm and offered her a business card.

"It was nice talking to you, Autumn. Here's my card. I'd love to hear from you again," he said with an earnest smile. How could she resist? She returned his smile, which seemed to please and relieve him, as she accepted it, tucking it away. Autumn chuckled as she blushed and turned away.

The brief encounter with Aaron carried her through the rest of the night. Her phone never rang, something she interpreted as a good sign. She could feel his eyes on her even when there other much more attractive and experienced girls on stage. It was flattering. Despite the circumstances of their meeting, she found herself hoping she would run into him again…

Autumn's good mood vanished when she headed home. That wouldn't be a good idea. If Dr. Suresh was right about her, things would be unsettled for a very long time. Her mind was incapable of processing anything except one truth that blazed and refused to die. Her life had already been turned upside down once, with finding out she was pregnant. What would happen the second time around?


End file.
